Kite structure

ABSTRACT

A kite having a keel which can be manipulated from the ground while flying by a pair of lines to cause the kite to be controlled in its maneuvering and the lines may be connected to a control member on which the lines may be wound when the kite is not flying. This abstract is not to be construed in any way to define or limit the invention set forth below.

United States Patent [1 1 Christoffel [54] KITE STRUCTURE [75] Inventor:Julius M. Christoffel, Houston, Tex.

[73] Assignee: Gayla Industries, Inc., Houston, Tex.

[22] Filed: July 12, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 161,513

[52] U.S. Cl 244/155 A [51] Int. Cl. B64c 31/06 [58] Field of Search .1244/153 R, 155 A, 244/153 A, 155 R [56] References Cited UNITED STATESPATENTS 2,388,478 11/1945 Garber 244/155 A 2,472,075 6/1949 Hole 244/155A 2,839,259 6/1958 Mayne 244/155 A [451 July 17,1973

3,086,738 4/1963 Lubash 244/153 A FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS911,223 7/1946 France 244/155 A Primary ExaminerMilton Buchler AssistantExaminerPaul E. Saubercr Att0rney.l. Vincent Martin,.lack R. Springgateet al.

[57] ABSTRACT A kite having a keel which can be manipulated from theground while flying by a pair of lines to cause the kite to becontrolled in its maneuvering and the lines may be connected to acontrol member on which the lines may be wound when the kite is notflying. This abstract is not to be construed in any way to define orlimit the invention set forth below.

11 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PNENTEU J11 1 7 75 SHEET 1 BF 2 ATTORNEYPATENFED JUL Y 7 W3 3 7&9 286 SHEET 2 [IF 2 l 66 66 INVENTOR. .1 5JULIUS M. CHRISTOFFEL 7 7 /71/22 AT CsRNEYs KITE STRUCTURE The presentinvention relates to an improved keeltype kite which can be controlledfrom the ground for specific maneuvers.

An object of thepresent invention is to provide an improved keel-typekite which can be controlled in maneuvering from the ground by a pair oflines.

Another object is to provide an improved keel-type kite having a keelwhose position is controlled from the ground to control the maneuveringof the kite.

A further object is to provide an improved keel-type kite which isconnected by a pair of lines to a control member which may be used tocontrol the maneuvering of the kite and on which the lines may be woundwhen the kite is not in use.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS These and other objects and advantagesof the present invention are hereinafter set forth and explained withreference to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the preferred form of kite of thepresent invention in flying position.

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of a keel-type kite having a modifiedcontrol connection.

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of another form of keeltype kiteillustrating its control connection.

FIG. 3 is a partial detail sectional view of the control connection ofthe kite shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a view of a combination control member and line holder withthe control lines wound together around the two legs of the holder.

FIG. 6 is a view of the combination control member and line holder witheach of the control lines wound around the leg to which it is attached.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The kite 10 illustrated in FIG.1 is a keep-type kite having a body 12, a keel 14, control lines 16 and18 connected from the keel control rod 20 to the control member 22 andsuitable means such as wing sticks 24, keel stick 26 and cross brace 28to maintain the body 12 in extended flying position. The keel 14 isgenerally triangular in shape and has the larger of its angles with thekeel positioned forward. The control rod 20 is connected to the keel 14at or near the normal point of attachment of the flying line when nocontrol lines are used. The control rod 20 is connected to the keel atits center point and the lines 16 and 18 are connected to the ends ofcontrol rod 20. The lines 30 and 32 connect from the respective ends ofthe control rod 20 to the body at positions near the juncture of thewing sticks 24 and the cross brace 28.

In the form of control rod 20 illustrated in FIG. I, the rod 20 may beof any material so long as the rod is relatively stiff. In one kiteactually flown the control rod 20 was formed from a relatively stiffwire. A wood stick of suitable strength and rigidity also may be used.

In the modified form of the invention illustrated in FIG. 2, the kite issimilar to the kite shown in FIG. I and therefore has the same numbersassigned to the same parts. The kite of FIG. 2 however has a modifiedconnection from the control rod 34 to the .keel and body of the kite.The lines 16 and 18 are connected to the ends of control rod 34 and thestrings 30 and 32 extend from the ends of control rod 34 to the body 12at cross brace. Further the lines 36 and 38 extend from the ends ofcontrol rod 34 to the normal point of attachment for the flying line.With this type of harness connecting the control rod 34 to the body 12,the movement of the control lines 16 and 18 control the maneuvering ofthe kite 10.

In FIGS. 3 and 4, another modified form of control system for anothertype of keel kite is ilustrated. The kite 40 includes the body 42, thekeel 44, wing sticks 46, keel stick 48 and the cross brace 50. Thecontrol system for the kite 40 includes the two control lines 52 and 54extending to the opposite ends of the control rod 56 which is secured atits center point to the usual point of string attachment on the keel 44.Additionally, the brace 58 extends from the ends of control rod 56, atleast partially surrounds the keel stick 48 at the base of the keel 44,and extends through keel 44 as shown. The structure of brace 58 is bestseen in FIG. 4. If desired, the brace 58 may be considered to be twobraces extending from the opposite ends of the control rod 56 andengaging the body 42 at the base of the keel 44.

The control member and line holder 22 is detailed in FIGS. 5 and 6. Themember 22 is generally C-shaped and includes a body 60 which is adaptedto be held in the hand of the person flying the kite, and includes twolegs 62 and 64 which extend from the body 60 and terminate in enlargedends. Each of the legs defines an aperture 66 through which the end ofthe line to be attached thereto is secured. The lines may be woundaround body of the legs 62 and 64 as shown in FIG. 5, or each line maybe wound around the leg to which it has been secured as shown in FIG. 6.With the winding as shown in FIG. 6 the kite may be controlled duringthe unwinding of line from the member 22 because the enlarged ends ofthe legs allows the unwinding of the line to be controlled to therebyallow either of the lines to be pulled to control the kites flight.

From the foregoing it can be seen that the improved kite and controlsystem of the present invention allows the person flying the kite toeasily control the maneuvering of the kite from the ground bymanipulating the lines leading to the kite. Each form of the kiteincludes a control rod which is connected with the kite in such a mannerthat the relative position of the keel to the kite body may be changedto cause movement of the kite during flight'in a desired direction.Also, the control member and line holder is provided which may be usedfor easy and simple control of the kite maneuvers and also on which thecontrol lines may be wound.

What I claim is:

1. A kite, comprising a body,

means for maintaining said body in extended flying position,

a keel secured to said body and extending generally fore and aft of saidbody and dividing said body into two wing portions,

a pair of control strings, and

means for connecting said pair of control strings to said keel and tosaid body so that manipulation of said strings moves at least a portionof said keel closer to one of said wing portions of said body tomaneuver said kite.

2. A kite according to claim 1, wherein said connecting means includescontrol rod,

said control strings being attached to opposite ends of said controlrod,

said control rod being connected to said keel.

3. A kite according to claim 2, including strings connecting the ends ofsaid control rod to said body.

4. A kite according to claim 3, wherein said control rod is secured tosaid keel at the central point of said rod.

5. A kite according to claim 3, including strings connecting the ends ofsaid control rod to said keel.

6. A kite according to claim 2, wherein said control rod is secured tosaid keel at the central point of said rod, and 7 means extendingbetween each of the ends of said control rod and said body adjacent thebase of said keel for supporting said control rod with respect to saidbody so that movement of said control rod moves said keel relative tosaid body.

7. A kite according to claim 6, wherein said supporting means includesstrings connecting from said control rod ends to the base of said keelon said body.

8. A kite according to claim 1, including a C-shaped string holderhaving a body and legs extending therefrom at each end of said body, and

one of said strings connected to each leg of said holder,

said legs being enlarged at their ends away from said holder body sothat the strings may be wound on said legs.

9. A kite according to claim 8, wherein said string holder may bemanipulated when one of said control strings extends from each endthereof to control movement of the kite.

10. A kite, comprising a body,

means for maintaining said body in extended flying 4 position,

a keel secured to said body and extending generally fore and aftthroughout a substantial portion of the length of said body,

a pair of control strings, and

means for connecting said pair of control strings to said keel and saidbody so that manipulation of said strings moves at least a portion ofsaid keel with respect to said body to change the distance between atleast one point on the surface of said keel and the nearest point on thesurface of said body to maneuver said kite.

11. A kite, comprising a body,

means for maintaining said body in extended flying position,

a keel secured to said body and extending generally fore and after saidbody,

a pair of control strings,

means for connecting said pair of control strings to said keel so thatmanipulation of said strings moves at least a portion of said keel withrespect to said body to maneuver said kite, said connecting meansincluding a control rod being secured to said keel at a central point ofsaid rod, said control strings being attached to opposite ends of saidcontrol rod, said control rod being connected to said keel, and

means extending between each of the ends of said control rod and saidbody adjacent the base of said keel for supporting said control rod withrespect to said body so that movement of said control rod moves saidkeel relative to said body, said supporting means including a braceextending from one end of said control rod through said keel at its baseand to the other end of said control. rod,

said brace being secured to said keel at its base.

1. A kite, comprising a body, means for maintaining said body inextended flying position, a keel secured to said body and extendinggenerally fore and aft of said body and dividing said body into two wingportions, a pair of control strings, and means for connecting said pairof control strings to said keel and to said body so that manipulation ofsaid strings moves at least a portion of said keel closer to one of saidwing portions of said body to maneuver said kite.
 2. A kite according toclaim 1, wherein said connecting means includes control rod, saidcontrol strings being attached to opposite ends of said control rod,said control rod being connected to said keel.
 3. A kite according toclaim 2, including strings connecting the ends of said control rod tosaid body.
 4. A kite according to claim 3, wherein said control rod issecured to said keel at the central point of said rod.
 5. A kiteaccording to claim 3, including strings connecting the ends of saidcontrol rod to said keel.
 6. A kite according to claim 2, wherein saidcontrol rod is secured to said keel at the central point of said rod,and means extending between each of the ends of said control rod andsaid body adjacent the base of said keel for supporting said control rodwith respect to said body so that movement of said control rod movessaid keel relative to said body.
 7. A kite according to claim 6, whereinsaid supporting means includes strings connecting from said control rodends to the base of said keel on said body.
 8. A kite according to claim1, including a C-shaped string holder having a body and legs extendingtherefrom at each end of said body, and one of said strings connected toeach leg of said holder, said legs being enlarged at their ends awayfrom said holder body so that the strings may be wound on said legs. 9.A kite according to claim 8, wherein said string holder may bemanipulated when one of said control strings extends from each endthereof to control movement of the kite.
 10. A kite, comprising a body,means for maintaining said body in extended flying position, a keelsecured to said body and extending generally fore and aft throughout asubstantial portion of the length of said body, a pair of controlstrings, and means for connecting said pair of control strings to saidkeel and said body so that manipulation of said strings moves at least aportion of said keel with respect to said body to change the distancebetween at least one point on the surface of said keel and the nearestpoint on the surface of said body to maneuver said kite.
 11. A kite,comprising a body, means for maintaining said body in extended flyingposition, a keel secured to said body and extending generally fore andafter said body, a pair of control strings, means for connecting saidpair of control strings to said keel so that manipulation of saidstrings moves at least a portion of said keel with respect to said bodyto maneuver said kite, said connecting means including a control rodbeing secured to said keel at a central point of said rod, said controlstrings being attached to opposite ends of said control rod, saidcontrol rod being connected to said keel, and means extending betweeneach of the ends of said control rod and said body adjacent the base ofsaid keel for supporting said control rod with respect to said body sothat movement of said control rod moves said keel relative to said body,said supporting means including a brace extending from one end of saidcontrol rod through said keel at its base and to the other end of saidcontrol rod, said brace being secured to said keel at its base.